House Takes Stand to Protect National Parks and Coastal Communities from Offshore Drilling

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. House of Representatives today passed landmark legislation that would permanently protect coastal national parks and surrounding communities across the country from the dangers of expanded offshore oil and gas drilling. NPCA commends the leadership of the members who voted in support of the bills to protect more than 50 coastal national parks along the Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf of Mexico:

• H.R. 1941: Coastal and Marine Economies Protection Act – Would permanently remove the Atlantic and Pacific planning areas from future Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Programs. Doing so will protect 50 national parks along these coasts, and the local communities they support from the threat of oil spills and industrialization.
• H.R. 205: Protecting and Securing Florida’s Coastline Act – Would permanently extend the moratorium on leasing programs in the eastern portion of the Gulf of Mexico. National parks have already been negatively impacted in places where drilling currently occurs.

Statement by Theresa Pierno, CEO and President of the National Parks Conservation Association:

“Today, for the first time in decades, we saw bipartisan action by members of the U.S. House to defend our coastal national parks and communities from the Trump administration’s reckless offshore drilling plans. From Acadia to Cape Hatteras to Olympic, our coastal national parks protect our nation’s historic structures, abundant wildlife like birds, sea turtles and whales, and support a multi-billion-dollar tourism industry and tens of thousands of local jobs. We cannot afford to risk all of this for unnecessary offshore drilling.

“For years, NPCA, park advocates, coastal communities and local elected officials have spoken up in opposition to the administration’s offshore drilling plan, and today, members of the House showed their commitment to defending America’s public lands and waters. Now, the Senate must do the same and make the health of our people and parks a priority.”

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About National Parks Conservation Association: For 100 years, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.3 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org/100.